Guide to Driving in Greece

You have to act with caution when driving in Greece since they have one of the highest rates for collisions and crashes in Europe. Most of the collisions are light but they still can give you a real headache, especially if you don’t speak Greek. The road is often in a decent shape, especially when talking about large cities. However, in the East side of Greece you need to expect rough driving conditions. The streets are really narrow, there are massive gaps just feet away from the road and there are no protection barriers. Some roads in town areas are made of cubic rock which can get slippery when wet. Stay focused and everything will be alright. Note that most of the road signs are written using Latin characters, but around small villages you’ll encounter only Greek characters. Local drivers are known for abusing the horn; don’t try to pay too much attention to them. Adopt a defensive way of driving and respect the traffic lights. Speeding cameras are not populating the roads of Greece; but this is not an excuse for you to ignore the limit.

As long as you’re from a country which is part of the European Union, your domestic license should be enough. Other nationalities, however, require an international driver’s permit. Don’t forget about an identification card, the car’s registration certificate and the car’s insurance. Police cars around Greece are all white with a small blue stripe on the sides. The beacons are also mounted on each of these cars. Parking can also be a headache; you should park only in specially designated places such as parking lots. In case that you park your car in an inappropriate place you risk a fine up to €300 and even your license plates could be taken.

Essential Driving Information

You need to give way to vehicles coming from your right in unmarked intersections.

Unlike most of the European countries, in Greece only the front seat passengers are required by law to wear their seatbelts.

It is considered illegal to drive and use the mobile phone at the same time.

Driving with high beam when it’s not the case can lead to fines.

When the weather conditions are not good, all drivers must switch their dipped beam on.

Just 2 highways in Greece use a toll-system: Athens-Thessaloniki and Athens-Patras